KANDAHAR, AGHANISTAN – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today confirmed that up to 950 military Canadian Armed Forces trainers and support personnel will be deployed to Afghanistan to take part in Operation ATTENTION, the Canadian component of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan.


“Well-trained, well-led and well-equipped Afghanistan Security Forces are an essential part of the Afghan government assuming full responsibility for national and provincial security and enabling governance and development,” said Prime Minister Harper. “Canadians have been an integral part of the training of Afghanistan Security Forces for five years and we intend to continue this important work.”

By addressing existing gaps in leadership, literacy development and medical, army, and police training, the mission supports the long-term objective of helping to build a more secure, stable and self-sufficient Afghanistan. Although Canadian Forces personnel will be centered in the Kabul area, they will also fill critical gaps in two key satellite locations at Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat, meeting critical command and training requirements within the NATO mission. It is vital for Canada and its allies to ensure that Afghanistan becomes sufficiently secure to ensure that it will not be a base for international terrorism.

Operation ATTENTION supports the Afghan government and international community’s objective of transferring responsibility for Afghan security to Afghans by 2014 and Canada’s military will continue the training mission until March of that year.

Also, to strengthen institutional capacity and support anti-corruption efforts, Canada will work to provide mentoring and civilian policing skills to the Ministry of the Interior and Afghan National Police by deploying up to 45 members of civilian police forces to the region as part of Canada’s overall engagement in Afghanistan.

For additional information on the Government of Canada’s new role in Afghanistan visit: http://www.afghanistan.gc.ca/canada-afghanistan/2011-2014.aspx?lang=en

For additional information on the Canadian Forces Training Mission-Afghanistan visit: http://www.cefcom.forces.gc.ca/pa-ap/ops/attention/index-eng.asp

Backgrounder
Operation Attention – Canada’s Training Mission in Afghanistan

Operation ATTENTION, Canada’s component of the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan (NTM-A), will deliver training and professional development services to the national security forces of Afghanistan, in particular the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP).

Op ATTENTION is the third major Canadian Armed Forces mission contributing to multinational operations in southwest Asia, following Operation ATHENA (2003 - 2011) and Operation APOLLO (2001 - 2003).

Canadian Contribution to the Afghan Training Mission

While Canadian troops are fully prepared to defend themselves in the event of threat, Canada's training mission will be a behind the wire non-combat mission.

The Canadian effort will be concentrated in Kabul with two satellite sites at Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif. CAF members will fill command and training development positions at NTM‑A headquarters, and deliver training in areas such as leadership, health care, literacy improvement and the core professional skills of soldiers and police.

Canada has also agreed to provide trainers for the Afghan leadership of the Regional Military Training Centre at Herat, and medical mentors and trainers specialized in soldier skills and police competencies to serve in Mazar-e-Sharif.

The Theatre Activation Team was deployed in mid-March 2011 to establish the CAF presence in Kabul. Additional deployments through the spring and summer will build the Canadian team as it becomes an integral part of the NTM-A structure, reaching its full complement of personnel by November 2011. By then, the Canadian contingent will be conducting its full training mandate in Afghanistan.

After July 2011, Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan will centre on Kabul and focus on four key areas:
investing in the future of Afghan children and youth through development programming in education and health;
advancing security, the rule of law and human rights, including through the provision of up to 950 trainers and support personnel for the Afghan National Security Forces;
promoting regional diplomacy; and
helping deliver humanitarian assistance.

NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan

NTM-A, formed in November 2009, is a multinational  organization supporting the Joint Command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). It aims to consolidate, standardize and strengthen training and professional development delivered to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by ISAF.

Its mission is to support the Government of Afghanistan as it generates and sustains the Afghan national security forces, develops leaders, and establishes enduring capacity in order to enable accountable Afghan-led security.

In its first year (2009-2010), NTM-A focused on recruitment, increasing the quality of Afghan soldiers and police officers, and building the foundations of professionalization across the ANSF. In its second year (2010-2011), NTM-A priorities are:
developing the skills of Afghan trainers and instructors,
accelerating the development of leaders,
building literacy and vocational skills, and
developing enduring institutions, systems and enablers.

Training Accomplishments to date

Canada has been actively training ANSF for five years.

To date, Canada and its international partners have trained and mentored over 50,000 ANSF.